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For the second time in three years, our Christmas will be spent dealing with visa uncertainty and coming up with a back-up place to live. As if I needed another reason to dislike Christmas!

My boss submitted the application for my certificate of sponsorship on December 5, and we were meant to learn the outcome on December 11. I was originally planning to fly back to Australia on December 14-15 and submit my application before Christmas. HA. Thank goodness I decided to be conservative and book my flight for a later date!

Apparently the Home Office is slow in the lead-up to Christmas, because we didn’t receive an answer until Friday night. I was rejected. Thankfully it’s not anything to do with me, but a technical problem with the job advertisement (they have to advertise my job for 28 days, and prove that I’m a more suitable applicant than any British person).

Our lawyer is convinced the Home Office has made an error, but if she is wrong we will have to re-advertise for another 28 day period, meaning I won’t be able to apply until February 5. I am due to fly out on the 31st. We are trying to appeal the decision before Christmas, but it is likely we will have to wait until the next approval cycle – meaning I will resubmit again on January 5 and (hopefully!) be granted approval on January 11.

Once I am granted the certificate, I have to wait for the documents to be mailed to me before I can submit the full application in Australia. My boss thinks I should just fly out on the 31st as planned and wait in Australia for my documents to arrive, but I think it’s crazy to fly all that way without knowing for certain it’s for a reason. The last thing I want to do is waste the final two months of my UK visa by being in Australia.

I don’t really have a problem with waiting, but poor Rob has to fly out on December 31 regardless as his visa expires then. If I indeed can’t apply again until February 5, we’re looking at being apart for almost six months.

I’m trying to stay positive and praying for a Christmas miracle. If we can appeal the decision, I should be able to fly out as planned. Otherwise I will have to eat the $$ and pay to change both of my flights. ARGH. Why is nothing in this country simple?!?! We are now deciding whether we should move to Berlin or Canada if we can’t stay in the UK, but both of those options make me feel sick and sad 🙁

Keep your fingers crossed for me! On to somewhat happier things – last week’s workouts. All this visa drama means that I am probably not going to be able to enter Britain’s Strongest Woman, which is on March 1. I don’t even know if I will be in the country, let alone how I am going to train properly!

I hate axle deadlifts. Blergh. I almost made the first attempt at 115kg, but my grip gave way. And please note that my 14th set of deadlifts matched my previous PR!!

I was tired, and my knee was in a lot of pain by this point. I’ve been having knee pain for the past week or so. I thought all my post-accident rehab had solved my knee issues, but apparently not. It hurts when I walk in the cold first thing in the morning, and when I’m doing deadlifts. It was in absolute agony by the time we started sumos, but my ego got in the way and I wanted to see if I could get 120kg.

I think under good circumstances, I could sumo pull close to 130kg. I’m going to try again tonight. Hopefully my knee and my painful callouses behave themselves! My coach told me that sumo doesn’t really count – it’s allowed in powerlifting, but not typically in strongman. Maybe I should switch 😉

Wednesday – Pressing with my trainer
We spent most of the session on the log as usual, with a little barbell push pressing and crucifix action thrown in for fun. My technique was not as good as during our last session, and I knew that I wasn’t going to hit those 10 reps at 40kg. I think I got five but my technique was all over the place. We then tried for a PR at 47.5kg and again I came so damn close but couldn’t get it up. So annoying!!

My trainer then insisted I wear my belt for pressing. I absolutely hate wearing my lifting belt, and will only wear it for max deadlifts and occasional farmers walks/holds. I don’t like squatting with it and I most definitely don’t like pressing with it. He was convinced it would let me press a little more, but I just couldn’t get over the fact my log clean becomes that much harder with a big buckle in the way.

Lo and behold he was right – although the clean will take some getting used to, the press is a lot easier with a belt on. Usually I have to use momentum and throw the log up as quickly as I can, but wearing a belt allows me to settle at the top a little longer.

He made me do the crucifix with 7kg dumbbells and I barely lasted 20 seconds. Every time we add a kilo, my time drops by half. BOO.

My knee was still feeling off so I wasn’t sure about attempting my regular 5/3/1 programming, especially considering it was my ‘peak’ week. The 67.5kg set actually felt the worst. I could have done a couple more with 77.5kg but I didn’t want to push my luck.

I forgot that the axle bar weighs 32kg, not 20kg, and therefore became much more impressed with my 145kg rack pull. I’ve never even done that much with a regular bar.

I trained with Anna, Emma-Lee and Hannah, the woman who won my first competition. She is amazingly strong and incredible to watch, throwing 70kg above her head like it’s nothing! I, on the other hand, was feeling weak as anything and couldn’t believe I failed 45kg – hence why my stubborn butt kept trying again and again! As is Sunday strongwoman tradition, we all went for breakfast after. I’ve built up a little circle of strongwoman friends and I don’t want to leave them behind :'(

I never train five times in one week, so I’m looking forward to a little break over Christmas. I will post as soon as I have news about the visa! Hope everyone has a great break <3

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27 Responses

Bro don’t forget to add Norway into the mix of countries to live in!!!!!

Yeah and Hannah is strong as shit dude…… I’m getting out lifted by a bunch of chicks.

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Ugh no Norway! You have to step your game up 😛

Tiny n Fit / 12-23-2013 / ·

Fingers, toes, eyes, hands- everything is crossed for you two! Have a very Merry Christmas and a (hopefully) wonderful New Year!

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Thanks, Krista – same to you!

sprint2thetable / 12-23-2013 / ·

Crossing my fingers that you’ll get a visa for Christmas! Enjoy your rest!

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Thanks, girl! Not yet but maybe it’s a late present 😉

krista / 12-23-2013 / ·

Holy smokes!! Crossing my fingers you and Rob are not separated for 6 months!! That is the worst. You have such a nice life you have made in the UK, but at least the things you really love-Rob, strong training, working in the industry, etc.-can come with you. Still, that would suck absolutely immense amounts of ass to have to move. Watch that knee!! I effing hate, HATE, being injured!! xo

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Ugh I know that is true but I hate the idea of moving nonetheless!

Sam @ Better With Sprinkles / 12-23-2013 / ·

Ugh, that sucks about your visa!! I’ll definitely be keeping my fingers crossed that you’re able to get that sorted out.

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Thanks, Sam <3

Jessy / 12-23-2013 / ·

Oh no, that sucks! I hope the revision of your application turns out ok for you. Why would you and Rob spend half a year apart, though? Can’t he stay in Australia with you?

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

You have to re-enter the UK from your home country when switching visas (I am Australian but he is Canadian). His visa expires next week so he has to leave then regardless. We can’t start his visa application until I’m back in the UK with my visa, hence why we could be apart for so long. We did look at him coming with me for a holiday but it would cost around $8000!

Kyle / 12-23-2013 / ·

Just come back to Australia, we’ve a severe shortage of trainers who will train people properly for strength, and there’s even fewer women who do it.

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

That made me smile. Unfortunately it’s not that simple!

Kyle / 12-27-2013 / ·

Things are indeed simple, we just do our best to complicate them. In the end it all comes down to someone saying, “alright, let’s do it.”

Figuring out which “it” you want to do is not easy.

Simple, not easy.

Tara / 12-27-2013 / ·

It’s not difficult for me, but my husband said he would divorce me before living in Australia again… so there’s that!

Kyle / 12-27-2013 / ·

The important question is, does he even lift? haha

Aqilah Norazman / 12-24-2013 / ·

I hope your application turns out positive. Have a great Christmas and an even happier new year! 🙂

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Thanks so much – same to you!

Megan @ Meg Go Run / 12-24-2013 / ·

Good luck w/ your visa, Tara. I am sure that is frustrating, and the last thing one needs around the holidays is extra stress! At least you know you can always go lift something REALLY heavy to get out that extra stress!

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Unfortunately my gym is closed for a few days over Christmas – I have a lot of pent up frustration!!

Arman @ thebigmansworld / 12-25-2013 / ·

Keeping my fingers crossed for this visa drama- Hope it gets sorted sooner than later- The VISA offices…worst. Half are only in Canberra and only open Mon-Weds-Fri AND then only from 9-12pm.

Have a great Christmas Tara- hope you and Rob faceplant the Nutella.

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Oh god, don’t tell me that haha! When I was younger, I assumed that you could live and work wherever you wanted. If only that was true!

sarah / 12-25-2013 / ·

I dislike Christmas and dislike immigration paperwork, so I feel you, Tara! I wish you all the best, and hope that it all goes through. I know that all of these rules you have been discussing are applicable in Australia as well, so it’s not just the UK! My boss had to advertise and I had to prove I was the most suitable candidate just to get a 457 visa, and my boss had to advertise even longer for my colleague who got a permanent residence visa. So just hang in there! Hopefully you can appeal.

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

Yep, Rob had to get a 457 visa when he was in Australia, and then we switched to the dependant visa. Adding the visa we had to apply for (which we initially got rejected for!) to come here, this is our fourth visa drama in five years. I can’t wait to just get my permanent residency and stay put!!

Dana / 12-25-2013 / ·

Hello there! This is so random- but I only weigh about 43kg (im short though font worry :)) and the other day I carried a 25kg box up a pile of stairs pretty easily- I just wondered if that is a good sign I’m pretty strong? You are amazing and I love you Tara-go fit women- Merry Christmas Tara.

Tara / 12-26-2013 / ·

That is pretty strong – over half your body weight with ease! When I’m doing bag carries for strongman, the weights vary between 30kg and 60kg, but I weigh 74kg so it’s not that impressive. Merry Christmas!